Newmarket, ON

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: INFORMATION ACCOUNTABILITY, LOCAL NEWS & GOVERNANCE

• Expanded civic engagement and policy experience: Conducted research and outreach to advocacy organizations and local employers, attended a city hall meeting, and completed canvassing trainings with Progress Toronto to build grassroots organizing skills.

• Developed community resources and public service experience: Created a web resource to help residents access reliable local news, began the process of volunteering with a legal clinic, and secured a position working with the national census.

• Planned continued growth in public interest work: Intends to complete a nonprofit civic action certificate program (SCFF) and is exploring law school as a potential path to a career in public policy and social justice.

Edmonton, AB

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: MENTAL HEALTH EQUITY, RACIALIZED STUDENT REPRESENTATION

• Expanded mentorship and advocacy networks: Met with mentors to discuss community organizations, youth leadership, and policy change opportunities; received support with organizational outreach; connected with the Black Lawyers Association for event planning advice; and built relationships with the Africa Centre and Friends of Medicare for future collaboration and volunteering.

• Strengthened leadership and organizational development: Successfully developed and secured approval for a new Black Students in Healthcare Club at her university, and held executive planning meetings. 

• Increased community engagement: Was elected president of an Orthodox Youth organization. Also explored Black youth empowerment and advocacy initiatives through the Africa Centre’s Come Up program and applied for an event coordinator position to further contribute to community programming and leadership.

Oakville, ON

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: FOOD SECURITY, YOUTH/NEWCOMER EQUITY

• Expanded networks in food security and poverty advocacy: Conducted extensive outreach, attended a local town hall, connected with food banks and community organizations, and built relationships with leaders in food security, including Halton Food for Thought, the Poverty Coalition, and the National Food Program.

• Deepened knowledge through research and mentorship: Met with food security professionals, a McMaster University professor involved in youth food research, and a Poverty Coalition alumnus to better understand systemic food insecurity, school nutrition programs, and opportunities for youth-led advocacy, while also being introduced to additional leaders focused on Black youth food security.

• Pursued leadership and future advocacy opportunities: Applied to the Toronto Foundation for Youth Civic (TFYC) program, initiated follow-up with national organizations, and invited future collaboration, including potential participation in a Black Youth Food Security conference.

Windsor, ON

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: FOOD SECURITY, A.F.A.B YOUTH

• Expanded community engagement and volunteer experience: Volunteered at Redwood Women’s Domestic Violence Shelter, conducted outreach to food security organizations, explored food security events, and volunteered with a local food bank to gain hands-on experience while building community connections.

• Built networks in food policy and advocacy: Established relationships with leaders in the Right to Food movement, joined the Food Secure Canada Youth Caucus community, and applied to the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council.

• Developed collaborative advocacy opportunities: Met with Sumac Kitchen to explore volunteering and co-developing training and mentorship for food policy advocacy, while also planning a collaboration with Hitting the Wall, delivering a presentation focused on food and diet supporting athletes assigned female at birth.

Coquitlam, BC

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: HEALTH EQUITY, LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCING

• Researched healthcare navigation and municipal systems: Investigated gaps in healthcare and service navigation, researched key contacts and local councillors, and designed a concept to improve the usability of the city’s health resource website for community members.

• Built relationships with community and policy leaders: Connected with healthcare professionals, academics, municipal leaders, and community organizations (including a city councillor, WorkSafeBC, a community kitchen manager, Women Transforming Cities, and the Tri-Cities Local Immigration Partnership) to gather expertise, resources, and guidance on health equity and social determinants of health.

• Strengthened grassroots community organizing skills: Practiced direct outreach and follow-up strategies, initiated conversations with potential partners, and continued building a network of support for future advocacy to improve access to local health and community services.

Repentigny, QC

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: YOUTH NEWCOMER EXPERIENCE

• Expanded community partnerships and volunteer experience: Conducted research & outreach to newcomer-serving organizations including CSAI, SAFIMA, Centre d'Action Bénévole, ALAC, CCR and more; attended a Salon de l'immigration and refugee legal clinic training sessions, job shadowed staff, volunteered, and explored other opportunities for supporting asylum seekers

• Strengthened research and engagement: Met with SAFIMA's director and social worker to discuss challenges facing newcomers and establish an ongoing relationship for sharing refugee interview data, while also connecting with ALAC to share research findings and support an initiative.

• Deepened understanding of newcomer issues and advocacy: Learned about barriers affecting asylum seekers (changes to asylum policy, limited access to healthcare, anti-immigration policies in Quebec) while continuing outreach for an MMARI initiative, and discussed the project with the mayor’s cabinet as part of a past internship.

Edmonton, AB

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: NATIONAL/LOCAL GOVERNANCE

• Learned about nonpartisan perspectives: Researched Alberta's political landscape and Alberta separatism issues, attended a UCP caucus, connected with elected officials at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, 

• Actively grew networks within political landscapes: Got involved with organizations including the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, REACH Edmonton, the University of Alberta Employees' Union, joined his neighborhood’s Edmonton community league, the UN SDG Youth Delegation, and a local city councillor, while volunteering and pursuing board and committee opportunities.

• Represented Canadian youth: Sent advocacy letters on environmental policy, and represented the University of Alberta at a UN youth roundtable alongside diplomats, ambassadors, and government representatives.

Montreal, QC

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: LOCAL MUTUAL AID, IMMIGRANT EQUITY

• Researched and reached out: Learned about local initiatives, organizations and leaders in the mutual aid space, as well as local governance. Attended a Brique par Brique (BPB) event, met with the organization founder to discuss personal project ideation on mutual aid initiatives, and also connected with Welcome Haven, a local refugee-serving organization.

• Took on new community leadership opportunities: Donated data-streamlining and language skills to BPB, volunteering at community clothing swaps and the Monsoon Festival, and was invited to facilitate gardening workshops with a new community garden initiative.

• Strengthening personal leadership and impact: Plans to continue building community grounded in shared values and flexible, people-powered approaches to creating local change through achievable, ripple-effect goals outside of traditional institutions.

North Vancouver, BC

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: HEALTH EQUITY, PATIENT SAFETY

• Expanded engagement in healthcare advocacy: Identified and conducted targeted outreach to organizations including the BC Association of Community Health Centres, BC Health Coalition, Leadnow, and more to explore collaboration opportunities, while beginning the process of volunteering with the BC Association of Community Health Centres and considering accepting a spot in a training program for starting patient advocacy groups.

• Strengthened knowledge through research and learning: Attended multiple webinars on community health, upstream prevention, human factors in healthcare, and the links between poverty, climate change, women’s health equity, and media, while researching local elections and continuing to deepen understanding of community health centre models.

• Increased community involvement and advocacy: Contacted personal and professional connections based in patient safety, applied to volunteer with a local Neighborhood House, joined collaborative planning for an AI data centre protest, and developed tailored outreach strategies to build partnerships with organizations working to improve healthcare and community wellbeing.

Brampton, ON

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUS AREA: MENTAL HEALTHCARE, CREATIVE CAMPAIGNING

• Advanced mental health advocacy and public awareness: Secured City approval to illuminate landmarks for World Mental Health Day and Suicide Prevention Month, wrote and submitted letters to the editor on suicide prevention (including to the Toronto Star), grew an advocacy-focused Instagram account, and developed original advocacy content, including a published poem (with Youth Policy Advocates Canada), and a zine on mental health.

• Expanded leadership and professional opportunities: Completed a certification with JACK.org to strengthen advocacy and leadership skills, and applied and interviewed for several youth leadership roles, including JACK.org, and the Brampton Youth Cabinet

• Strengthened advocacy organization and research experience: Tracked applications, advocacy initiatives, and weekly goals, and volunteered on a professor’s research project on a disorder.